2010 Press Releases

SAN FRANCISCO -- Today the Obama Administration filed court papers saying the Defense of Marriage Act does discriminate against same-sex couples, but the Justice Department is continuing to defend the law that prevents married same-sex couples from having their unions recognized by the federal government.

"Although we are pleased that the Obama Administration has stated that DOMA is discriminatory and that same-sex couples are as good parents as heterosexual couples, we are troubled by the Obama Justice Department saying that discrimination based on sexual orientation does not raise serious constitutional issues and that such discrimination is rational," Kors said. "Discrimination against same-sex couples is never rational, and laws that discriminate must be reviewed carefully to ensure that the majority's animus toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is not the motive."

Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender-rights advocacy organization in California. In the past decade, EQCA has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil-rights protections in the nation. EQCA has passed over 50 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org